Etihad Airways named ‘Airline of the year’ at Arabian business achievement awards 2014

Peter Baumgartner, Etihad Airways Chief Commercial Officer, is presented with the ‘Airline of the Year’ trophy at the Arabian Business Achievement Awards 2014 by Walid Akawi, Chief Executive Officer of ITP Publishing

11 Nov 2014 11:00

Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, has been named ‘Airline of the Year’ at the Arabian Business Achievement Awards 2014 in recognition of its outstanding performance, customer service levels and innovative developments over the past 12 months.

The prestigious award was
presented during a gala reception at the JW Marriott Marquis Hotel in Dubai
last night, attended by over 400 business leaders from across the Middle East
region.

An independent panel of
judges was impressed by Etihad Airways’ key achievements over the course of
this year, from the continued development of its global route network, aircraft
fleet, airport lounges and contact centres, to the introduction of
customer-centric onboard innovations, such as a recently launched sleep program
and limited edition amenity kits.

Etihad Airways was also
praised for the recent unveiling of its acclaimed ‘Facets of Abu Dhabi’ livery
and the launch of its next generation onboard products, including The
Residence, First Apartment, First Suite, Business Studio and Economy Smart
Seat, which will debut on the airline’s first Airbus A380 and Boeing 787-9
Dreamliner aircraft in December 2014.

James Hogan, President
and Chief Executive Officer of Etihad Airways, said: “We are delighted to be
named ‘Airline of the Year’ for the third time at the Arabian Business
Achievement Awards. Etihad Airways has continued to outperform the global
market with its passenger and cargo operations in 2014 and we remain on track
to achieve our strongest ever annual results.

“Importantly, with the
unveiling of the new Etihad Aviation Group structure and Etihad Partners
program earlier this year, we are also laying the foundation for the next stage
in the airline’s evolution. The momentum will continue with the imminent launch
of our Airbus A380 and Boeing 787-Dreamliner operations and the rollout of our
new onboard product offering and livery.”

Walid Akawi, Chief
Executive Officer of ITP Publishing, organiser of the Arabian Business
Achievement Awards, said: “Etihad Airways has experienced a truly exceptional
year. Its strategy of organic growth, codeshare partnerships and minority equity
stakes in other carriers has continued to yield positive results and helped the
airline to grow into a truly global player.

“In addition, its new
Airbus A380 and Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner interiors have set a new benchmark in
global aviation, and throughout all this, Etihad Airways has maintained
exceptionally high levels of customer service. It was deemed a clear winner in
what is traditionally the most hotly contested category at the Arabian Business
Achievement Awards.”